What trends over time does the report describe concerning coastal reef conditions?
“There is relatively little quantitative information available assessing temporal and spatial trends in coral reef conditions,” the report says. It says many coral reefs remain to be mapped and resources of many reefs have not yet been characterized, leaving “little comparative data” on coral reef function, structure, and condition. “In cases where there has been credible long–term monitoring,” the report points out, “there are alarming temporal trends” involving decreased live reef cover, disease and bleaching and significant mortality, and overfishing. Hunting over the past century has depleted sea turtle populations, leading to their now being protected under provisions of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
